About us

This Waternet website is online since 1997. Its initial focus was mainly on water issues in Israel and Palestine - at that time the topic of my research. The website is now undergoing a very thourough update and redesign, with a more regional approach to the political hydrology of water scarcity.

Personal details

Stefan Deconinck

  • Ma in Modern History, Ma in International Relations
  • Based in Amman (Jordan), I am a consultant with experience in policy-oriented research and analysis, teaching undergraduate and post-graduate students, and post-academic training.
  • Past research and teaching positions: Ghent University, Catholic University of Brussels, Royal High Institute of Defence - Brussels
  • Research experience in Palestine, Israel, Kenya and Uganda
  • See also profiles on LinkedIn and ResearchGate

Areas of interest:

  • geopolitics, security (environmental security, human security, water conflicts), sustainable development
  • economical, political and social issues related to water in the Middle East, especially in the Jordan and Nile River Basins
  • politics and security in Eastern Africa and the Middle East
  • terrorism, radicalisation and deradicalisation
  • (maritime) history of the Indian Ocean

Contact: Stefan.Deconinck(at)gmail.com

Selected presentations and trainings on water politics, environmental conflicts, Middle East

  • International Peace Support Training Centre (IPSTC), Nairobi, 2011, 2012. Governance and Diplomacy for Peace and Security training for East African senior civilian and military officials.
  • Royal Military Academy, Belgium, Formation for Senior Officers. Lectures on global jihadi terrorism; climate change and security challenges; international water resources.
  • Royal Higher Institute for Defence, High Studies for Security and Defence, March 2005. Seminar on factors of instability: lecture on environmental degradation as a potential source of conflict.
  • WES, Bruges, 2005. Training for governmental water professionals from Middle Eastern and Asian countries, on water resources management.
  • Middle Eastern Technical University conference on water in the Middle East, Ankara, May 2007. Presentation on "Water, ideology and security persceptions in Israel".
  • NATO Parliamentary Assembly, seminar on "Recent developments and new political perspectives in the broader Middle East region", Jordan, May 2005. Moderator of session on management of water resources. See also: seminar report.
  • World Congress for Middle Eastern Studies (WOCMES), Mainz, September 2002. Presentation on water policies in Israël and the West Bank.
  • UNESCO conference "From conflict to co-operation in international water resources management: challenges and opportunities", Delft, November 2002. Presentation on "Israeli long term water policy and prospects for sustainable development".
  • Professional development for teachers on water resources and water scarcity in the world; water conflicts in the Middle East; Israeli-Palestinain conflict. Vereniging Leraars Aardrijkskunde (VLA), Vereniging Vlaamse Leerkrachten (VVL) - Belgian teacher associations.
  • Guest lectures at Belgian and Dutch universities on international water resources, environmental conflicts.
  • Various lectures on international water issues, Israeli-Palestinian conflict, history of Jerusalem for Belgian cultural societies (Actueel Denken en Leven, Davidsfonds, Willemsfonds, ElckerIck).

Selected publications on water politics, environmental conflicts, Middle East

Tip: also check the publications longlist for an overview of my article on various other topics.

  • 'Waterconflicten in de 21ste eeuw: kiezen tussen "veiligheid" en ontwikkeling' [Water conflicts in the 21st century: choosing for security or development]. In: Internationale Spectator, 3, 2012.
  • Climate change and security: European and Belgian policies. Brussels: Royal High Institute for Defence, 2010 (Focus Paper 16).
  • ‘Water en conflict: een kwestie van veiligheid of kwetsbaarheid’ [Water and conflict: a matter of development or vulnerability]. In: Willems P., Maes F., Water in de wereld, Vereniging voor de Verenigde Naties, 2010.
  • Security as a threat to development in the Nile River Basin. Brussels: Royal High Institute for Defence, 2009 (Focus Paper 13).
  • 'Water, ideology and international security in the Middle East', in: Madarat Garbiye, Fall 2006 (Arabic).
  • Editor of the brochure "Water and conflict. Water scarcity threatens peace", Gent, Protos, 2005.
  • 'Water policies and security in Israel', in: Swiss Military Review, March 2004.
  • 'Israeli water policy in a regional context of conflict: prospects for sustainable development for Israelis and Palestinians', in: Ferragina E., Water Resources and Development in the Mediterranean Basin, Naples, 2004.
  • 'Israelisch-Palästinensischer Wasserkonflikt', in: Agrarische Rundschau, 7, 2001, pp. 12-15.
  • 'L'eau dans le conflit Israélo-Palestinien', in: Med Intelligence, 9 November 2001.
  • Öl ins Feuer - Wasser im israelisch-palästinensischen Konflikt, Deutsche Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Internationale Politik (Mai 2001).
  • 'Olie op het vuur - water, conflict en vrede in het Midden-Oosten', in : Doom R. (ed.), De structuur van de waanzin - conflicten in de periferie, Gent, Academia Press, 2001.
  • 'Le processus de paix israélo-palestinien, perspectives de cooperation ou de conflit', in: L'eau, source de conflits ou vecteur de paix, Bruxelles, CNAPD, 2001, pp. 30-37.
  • 'Water en het Israëlisch-Palestijnse vredesproces', in: Internationale Spectator, 51, 1, 1997, pp. 17-22.

Linked by

  • The Economist Millennium issue: The world this millennium, 25 December 1999.
  • Reference in the article 'Water and peace in the Middle East' of National Geographic News (14/07/2000)
  • Reference on Time Europe: Water, water, everywehere, 10 November 2000.